How many Falcons were produced?

[gdanko]

I am sure this has been gone over many times but I am at a loss. How many were made?

[V.R]

Offical Atari figures state about 20,000 units were shipped to retailers. Whether there were more produced is anyones guess.

To bad alot of them have been hacked up and converted into pc towers. A shame in my opinion.

[Tempest]

Somewhere I heard a rumor that the US Post Service used Falcons in mail sorting facilities for something or another. I'm not sure if this is still true, but if so they'd probably have most of the remaining Falcons.

 

Tempest

[+DarkLord]

Somewhere I heard a rumor that the US Post Service used Falcons in mail sorting facilities for something or another. I'm not sure if this is still true, but if so they'd probably have most of the remaining Falcons.

 

Tempest

 

I've heard that as well, I believe it to be true. I'm thinking somewhere in California,

for some reason.

[+DarkLord]

To bad alot of them have been hacked up and converted into pc towers. A shame in my opinion.

 

Why is that a shame? I mean, I think its great that Falcon owners love their machines and are

willing to spend time, money, and effort to update, upgrade and enhance them... Just my humble

opinion.

 

Take a look at this Falcon. It's running at 95mhz, has 14 megs ST ram, 256 megs TT ram (SDram)

, an 80 gig IDE hard drive, a Liteon DVD burner (yes, I can burn DVDs), etc, etc,..sitting in a black

Wizztronics rack case:

 

 

Does it look like a "shame" to you? Thanks.

 

PS If interested, you can see more pics at my web site - see sig.

Edited November 21, 2006 by DarkLord

[gdanko]

Offical Atari figures state about 20,000 units were shipped to retailers. Whether there were more produced is anyones guess.

To bad alot of them have been hacked up and converted into pc towers. A shame in my opinion.

 

Wow ONLY 20,000? That's astonishing. I am lucky indeed!

[Sikor]

You can add some falcons from C-LAB (MK-1, MK-2, MK-X) and some from other companies (litle count, but always - look at music developers firm). Falcons from C-Lab was made with motherboard from Atari (MK-1 and MK-2), but its have some modification (other DSP, etc).

[V.R]

To bad alot of them have been hacked up and converted into pc towers. A shame in my opinion.

 

Why is that a shame? I mean, I think its great that Falcon owners love their machines and are

willing to spend time, money, and effort to update, upgrade and enhance them... Just my humble

opinion.

 

Take a look at this Falcon. It's running at 95mhz, has 14 megs ST ram, 256 megs TT ram (SDram)

, an 80 gig IDE hard drive, a Liteon DVD burner (yes, I can burn DVDs), etc, etc,..sitting in a black

Wizztronics rack case:

 

 

Does it look like a "shame" to you? Thanks.

 

PS If interested, you can see more pics at my web site - see sig.

 

 

Well I said it was my opinion. Yes it is a shame to me, I think it just makes it like any other PC out there, who would ever know it was an atari by looking at it. Sure it has the falcon motherboard etc, but its just different thats all, nothing like using an original falcon in its own skin.

[+remowilliams]

Well I said it was my opinion. Yes it is a shame to me, I think it just makes it like any other PC out there, who would ever know it was an atari by looking at it. Sure it has the falcon motherboard etc, but its just different thats all, nothing like using an original falcon in its own skin.

While it is nicely done, it looks like a piece of anonymous stereo/audio equipment to me and not an Atari.

 

But that's just me as well

[+Sauron]

Nothing wrong with mounting a Falcon in a tower or rack case, IMO, but I think the "FALCON030" and the Atari fuji need to be prominently displayed as well. For what it's worth, the "all in one" case design sucks in comparison to having a separate keyboard.

[tjlazer]

WOW and I have two in mint shape. How lucky I feel right now.

[Womble76]

[Does it look like a "shame" to you? Thanks.

 

Actually yes yes and yes - it’s a classic destroyed to upgrade it to a truly pitiful specification by modern standards, basically that of a ten buck Pentium, effectively just so you can keep running a niche version of TOS. As for looks, folk may have hated the ST case design but the falcon in that photo looks like any of the several million cheap black cases that IBM wrapped around the first batch of vanilla P4 PCs that litter offices worldwide.

 

 

It’s a falcon dressed up to look seriously mundane, just to get it to do modern PC type tasks the hard way, at least it looks the part I guess.

 

It’s like taking a vintage classic car, ripping all the bodywork off and putting a Ford Escort body on the chassis. Sure you can now fit a stock spoiler, a turbo blower and roof-rack but it’s a classic car ruined none-the-less.

 

In years to come, a Falcon in its original case is gonna be far more collectible than one that is dressed up like low end PC clone despite the 256Mb RAM, 20X CD drive and CPU upgrades, both will be totally useless by then (as opposed to being virtually useless now except for very very niche activities).

 

I think if you are hell bent on paying obscene amounts of money to bring the Falcon up to the speed of a $10 PC from eBay you should keep the case and keyboard, and once the madness has subsided restore the Falcon to its original condition. Coz they aint making any more of em.

 

This isn’t a flame bait post honest – it’s just my opinion. Then again every Falcon that falls to the "must fit mirrored alloy wheels, lower the suspension and bolt on a spoiler that looks like the strap from a lady giants handbag" urge means my mint Falcon gets that little bit rarer.

Edited November 22, 2006 by Womble76

[V.R]

[Does it look like a "shame" to you? Thanks.

 

Actually yes yes and yes - it’s a classic destroyed to upgrade it to a truly pitiful specification by modern standards, basically that of a ten buck Pentium, effectively just so you can keep running a niche version of TOS. As for looks, folk may have hated the ST case design but the falcon in that photo looks like any of the several million cheap black cases that IBM wrapped around the first batch of vanilla P4 PCs that litter offices worldwide.

 

 

It’s a falcon dressed up to look seriously mundane, just to get it to do modern PC type tasks the hard way, at least it looks the part I guess.

 

It’s like taking a vintage classic car, ripping all the bodywork off and putting a Ford Escort body on the chassis. Sure you can now fit a stock spoiler, a turbo blower and roof-rack but it’s a classic car ruined none-the-less.

 

In years to come, a Falcon in its original case is gonna be far more collectible than one that is dressed up like low end PC clone despite the 256Mb RAM, 20X CD drive and CPU upgrades, both will be totally useless by then (as opposed to being virtually useless now except for very very niche activities).

 

I think if you are hell bent on paying obscene amounts of money to bring the Falcon up to the speed of a $10 PC from eBay you should keep the case and keyboard, and once the madness has subsided restore the Falcon to its original condition. Coz they aint making any more of em.

 

This isn’t a flame bait post honest – it’s just my opinion. Then again every Falcon that falls to the "must fit mirrored alloy wheels, lower the suspension and bolt on a spoiler that looks like the strap from a lady giants handbag" urge means my mint Falcon gets that little bit rarer.

 

I agree man. To each his own I guees. If people want to case their Falcons then go right ahead by all means. However they are becoming rare. All through life Ive always been a purist.

 

A Falcon no matter how modded can never compete against a modern computer, but it is cool to see what fans can get out of the system.

 

Id love a Falcon, but one that has been cased is worth jack to me.

[+remowilliams]

A Falcon no matter how modded can never compete against a modern computer, but it is cool to see what fans can get out of the system.

I definitely agree, it's cool to see what the hardest of the hardcore can squeeze out of the platform. Though I really don't see any remotely practical use for it in any recent times.

 

Id love a Falcon, but one that has been cased is worth jack to me.

Also agree here, it just looses it's heart and soul to me.

[Womble76]

Well thats the thing, if its got a new CPU, new RAM subsystem, new drives, new optical storage, new case, new powersupply and new video card......

 

.....is its still a Falcon? I mean doesnt the CT63 board bypass the majority of the Falcons original circuitry?

 

When does it stop being a Falcon? As long as the floppy drive is original?

 

Afterall - is this a still a 1971 Dodge Challenger? It goes one helluva lot faster but...

 

Edited November 22, 2006 by Womble76

[V.R]

Nice photo. Though I would have displayed a picture of a Ford Falcon

[gdanko]

[Does it look like a "shame" to you? Thanks.

 

Actually yes yes and yes - it’s a classic destroyed to upgrade it to a truly pitiful specification by modern standards, basically that of a ten buck Pentium, effectively just so you can keep running a niche version of TOS. As for looks, folk may have hated the ST case design but the falcon in that photo looks like any of the several million cheap black cases that IBM wrapped around the first batch of vanilla P4 PCs that litter offices worldwide.

 

 

It’s a falcon dressed up to look seriously mundane, just to get it to do modern PC type tasks the hard way, at least it looks the part I guess.

 

It’s like taking a vintage classic car, ripping all the bodywork off and putting a Ford Escort body on the chassis. Sure you can now fit a stock spoiler, a turbo blower and roof-rack but it’s a classic car ruined none-the-less.

 

In years to come, a Falcon in its original case is gonna be far more collectible than one that is dressed up like low end PC clone despite the 256Mb RAM, 20X CD drive and CPU upgrades, both will be totally useless by then (as opposed to being virtually useless now except for very very niche activities).

 

I think if you are hell bent on paying obscene amounts of money to bring the Falcon up to the speed of a $10 PC from eBay you should keep the case and keyboard, and once the madness has subsided restore the Falcon to its original condition. Coz they aint making any more of em.

 

This isn’t a flame bait post honest – it’s just my opinion. Then again every Falcon that falls to the "must fit mirrored alloy wheels, lower the suspension and bolt on a spoiler that looks like the strap from a lady giants handbag" urge means my mint Falcon gets that little bit rarer.

 

I agree man. To each his own I guees. If people want to case their Falcons then go right ahead by all means. However they are becoming rare. All through life Ive always been a purist.

 

A Falcon no matter how modded can never compete against a modern computer, but it is cool to see what fans can get out of the system.

 

Id love a Falcon, but one that has been cased is worth jack to me.

 

This is exactly why I won't re-case my current Falcon. It's very close to mint condition. If I can find one in a beat up case I will buy a small tower and actually use the CT63.

[Retro Rogue]

Well thats the thing, if its got a new CPU, new RAM subsystem, new drives, new optical storage, new case, new powersupply and new video card......

 

.....is its still a Falcon? I mean doesnt the CT63 board bypass the majority of the Falcons original circuitry?

 

When does it stop being a Falcon? As long as the floppy drive is original?

 

 

If a Falcon falls in the woods with nobody to hear it, does it make a sound?

[+DarkLord]

Well I said it was my opinion. Yes it is a shame to me, I think it just makes it like any other PC out there, who would ever know it was an atari by looking at it. Sure it has the falcon motherboard etc, but its just different thats all, nothing like using an original falcon in its own skin.

 

Yep, and you and the others are entitled to your opinions - I'd be the last

to say otherwise.

 

For me, its *just* like using an Atari Falcon in its own skin - except that:

 

I don't have to lift the computer to plug/unplug mouse/joystick

I don't have to power on 3-4 devices, 1 switch does it all

I don't have to fumble around, trying to find the reset button (on front now)

I can use a standard computer desk without effort

I can use an 80 gig 3.5" hard drive (internally)

 

and best of all, with the CT60, it is wicked-sick fast.

 

It *is* my original Atari Falcon keyboard - well, enhanced with the TT-Touch

keys, so it feels the same (only better).

 

Just as a note though - if you look at that picture full size, you can clearly

see "Falcon" on it...and if the machine were running, I don't think anyone

is going to think thats Windows xx running on it... Also, the keyboard

very clearly has "Atari Falcon 030" on it. In fact, there are more identifying

marks/insignias on it, than on the original Falcon.

 

Here is the keyboard:

 

 

I do understand what you are saying about the original Falcon case

though, sort of...

 

Although, I'd also have to say that I sure am glad that Rodolphe

Czuba didn't use you all for a test survey on whether or not to

produce the CT6x series! <roflol>

 

PS BTW, with all the "all in one" PCs out there now, it would still be

easy for people to -not- know what the original Atari Falcon is...the

ones I've seen look just like the "wedge" Atari shape...

Edited November 22, 2006 by DarkLord

[Gunstar]

I agree with points made on both sides of this argument, and am torn in the middle. But, I do have to say that I think a Falcon that is upgraded to the max IS still a Falcon, it's just more like what the Falcon WOULD have become if it had been successful and had successive generations. After all, the latest Macs look nothing like the originals or even other iterations through it's progression to the modern Macs of today, though most still have a unique look compared to the PC's. But I do have a PowerPC Mac and it does look similair to many PC's with the box and seperate keyboard (also like the TT and Mega ST/STE's). If Atari had survived and continued their computer lines, I'd be willing to bet a modern Falcon would look much closer to Darklord's Falcon than to the original Falcon. On the other hand people are right about the original case of these rare Falcons too, for museum/posterity's sake one would hope an original Falcon would be on display to distiguish it from a PC in the same museum. I have always thought that Atari should have made the original Falcon look more like the Mega/TT's case style than reverting back to the original ST's style. That was just a bad choice to start with, IMHO. I'd like to see a maxed out Falcon put into a TT/MegaST/MegaSTE case instead of a generic black box, if one isn't going to keep the original case.

Edited November 22, 2006 by Gunstar

[+remowilliams]

Although, I'd also have to say that I sure am glad that Rodolphe

Czuba didn't use you all for a test survey on whether or not to

produce the CT6x series! <roflol>

 

 

It's not like I'm a crazed purist, or against people doing crazy things with their hardware, it's just in this case (haha) it's not for me.

 

Hell, I've been admonished for adding composite/svideo mods to nearly every console I own (which is alot) that didn't have them. I HATE RF! It sucked then, and it sucks worse now!

[+DarkLord]

I agree with points made on both sides of this argument, and am torn in the middle. But, I do have to say that I think a Falcon that is upgraded to the max IS still a Falcon, it's just more like what the Falcon WOULD have become if it had been successful and had successive generations. After all, the latest Macs look nothing like the originals or even other iterations through it's progression to the modern Macs of today, though most still have a unique look compared to the PC's. But I do have a PowerPC Mac and it does look similair to many PC's with the box and seperate keyboard (also like the TT and Mega ST/STE's). If Atari had survived and continued their computer lines, I'd be willing to bet a modern Falcon would look much closer to Darklord's Falcon than to the original Falcon. On the other hand people are right about the original case of these rare Falcons too, for museum/posterity's sake one would hope an original Falcon would be on display to distiguish it from a PC in the same museum. I have always thought that Atari should have made the original Falcon look more like the Mega/TT's case style than reverting back to the original ST's style. That was just a bad choice to start with, IMHO. I'd like to see a maxed out Falcon put into a TT/MegaST/MegaSTE case instead of a generic black box, if one isn't going to keep the original case.

 

Yep, I understand. It's why I mentioned that I understood where the other are coming from

in my last post...

 

and Atari had already intended going away from the wedge style case - although they never

completed it. Look at pics for the '040/Microbox Falcon:

 

 

As far as the Mega STe and TT style cases - I agree - if the Falcon motherboard could have

fit into it, I'd have loved to have used it instead. Wish Atari had offered an updated version

of the Falcon like that!

Edited November 22, 2006 by DarkLord

[jens]

I think one can fit a Falcon board into a TT case. One has to cut holes into the back though...

[+DarkLord]

I think one can fit a Falcon board into a TT case. One has to cut holes into the back though...

 

I guess it could work - but man, I'd hate to do that to that beautiful case!

[jens]

You would not look at the back if it's standing with the back to the wall, would you?